Tulane vs. SMU Predictions, Odds & Picks – Thursday, Nov. 17

Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Tanner Mordecai (8) throws a pass in the third quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
Image Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

How about some Thursday night college football? Tulane is set to face SMU on Thursday, Nov. 17. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET while airing on ESPN. Tulane enters this game as 3-point favorites with the total set at 65. How will this one play out? Let’s dive into the Tulane vs. SMU predictions below.

Tulane vs. SMU Odds

  • Spread: Tulane -3
  • Total: 65

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. New to FanDuel? Check out our FanDuel Sportsbook Review to find out how to redeem a $1,000 risk-free bet!

Game Info

  • Date: Thursday, Nov. 17
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Location: Yulman Stadium – New Orleans, LA
  • TV: ESPN

Tulane Betting Trends

  • Tulane is 7-2 ATS this season
  • The Over is 4-5 in Tulane games this season
  • Tulane is 5-2 ATS as favorites this season
  • Tulane is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
  • Tulane is 2-5 ATS against the SMU in its last 7 games

SMU Betting Trends

  • SMU is 5-5 ATS this season
  • The Over is 4-6 in SMU games this season
  • SMU is 1-3 ATS as underdogs this season
  • SMU is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games
  • SMU is 5-2 ATS against Tulane in its last 7 games
  • SMU is 1-5 ATS as underdogs in its last 6 games

Tulane vs. SMU Predictions

In order to make accurate Tulane vs. SMU predictions, our sports betting model has sorted through thousands of historical college football games to find similar matchups. We can then draw comparisons and find value based on this analysis. 

The model found that the spread is higher than 91% of the 11 most historically similar matchups. That indicates a play on SMU +3 for Thursday.

This is a classic case of one side underachieving relative to preseason expectations (SMU) and the other (Tulane) overachieving. Tulane is sitting in first place in the AAC while ranked No. 21 in the country. The Green Wave are fresh off a 38-31 loss against UCF, but they will look to bounce back in this home matchup.

SMU went through a difficult stretch in September and early October where they dropped three straight games to Maryland, TCU, and UCF respectively. However, those defeats don’t look terrible in hindsight, as all three squads have been solid this season. Now, SMU is on a three-game win streak while beating Tulsa, Houston, and South Florida all by double-digits.

It appears that SMU is finally rounding into form, and you could argue they are the more talented side getting points in this AAC contest.

The Pick: SMU +3 | -110 at FanDuel Sportsbook